It has been a (very) long time since I've updated, but hopefully I will fill in the gaps between winter and summer some other time. Here is an account of my running in the Hackney half marathon.
I initially decided to sign up in February on a whim. It had been a while since I'd run seriously, and I was lacking in motivation. Training for a half (which I had never done before) was allowed me to explore parts of London that I never normally get to.
For example, I managed to get around a less traveled portion of the Thames in this long run:
Some events of note
There was long and very crowded march to the racing village. The line stretched forward as far as the eye can see:
In the racing village, pre-race:
Here is the race course. As you can see, the last part of it (about 4 miles) loops quite alot. Additionally, most of that stretch was on sloped roads with no shade. Quite a few runners dropped out at that portion! It was also quite scenic, as we went around stadiums used in the 2012 Olympics.
Post-race completion medal
Post-race pizza from Franco Manca, the best pizza restaurant in London.
I initially decided to sign up in February on a whim. It had been a while since I'd run seriously, and I was lacking in motivation. Training for a half (which I had never done before) was allowed me to explore parts of London that I never normally get to.
For example, I managed to get around a less traveled portion of the Thames in this long run:
Some events of note
- I discovered (and got kicked out of) the Hurlingham Club, a super exclusive social club that invented the official rules of polo and has a twenty year member waiting list. Perhaps I'll sneak in some other time.
- Bishops Park has a secret garden mysterious feel to it:
- The Hammersmith Bridge was built in 1887 and is quite a sight to go across:
- There are random stairs along the bank of the Thames that just lead into the river. Perhaps the water level has risen over the years?
- Battersea Park has a "peace pagoda" that is very prominent if you go there. Ironically, the park site was originally a popular dueling site.
These landmarks are just a small set of the numerous little quirks of London that can be lost in the bustle of living only in the center. It's quite nice to just go out and explore.
Unfortunately, I was not paying close attention to my surroundings in Hackney, due to the huge amount of people there (12,000) and the fact that I was trying to run well. Here is a small recap:
There was long and very crowded march to the racing village. The line stretched forward as far as the eye can see:
Large statue of runner to motivate us:
Here is the race course. As you can see, the last part of it (about 4 miles) loops quite alot. Additionally, most of that stretch was on sloped roads with no shade. Quite a few runners dropped out at that portion! It was also quite scenic, as we went around stadiums used in the 2012 Olympics.
That's it for now. I hope to post more updates soon.
